Multiband composite right and left handed (crlh) slot antenna

Abstract

This application relates to slot antenna devices based on Composite Right and Left Handed (CRLH) metamaterial (MTM) structures.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . An antenna device, comprising:
 a dielectric substrate having a first surface and a second surface;   a first conductive layer formed on the first surface of the dielectric substrate, the first conductive layer defining:
 a top ground region; 
 a feed conductor; 
 a matching slot stub defined by a first edge of the feed conductor; 
 a connecting slot section defined by a second edge of the feed conductor opposite the first edge and defined by a first edge of the top ground region; 
 a metal plate; 
 a coupling gap separating the top ground from the metal plate; 
 an antenna slot section defined in part by a second edge of the top ground region and defined by an edge of the metal plate; and 
 a closed end conductively coupling the metal plate to the top ground, the closed end defining an edge of the antenna slot section; and 
   a second conductive layer formed on the second surface of the dielectric substrate, the second conductive layer including a bottom ground;   wherein the first conductive layer and the dielectric substrate form a composite right and left handed (CRLH) metamaterial structure.   
     
     
         3 . The antenna device of  claim 2 , wherein the bottom ground is coupled to a portion of the top ground. 
     
     
         4 . The antenna device of  claim 2 , comprising a coplanar waveguide (CPW) slot, and wherein the feed and the CPW slot form a CPW structure. 
     
     
         5 . The antenna device of  claim 2 , comprising a lumped capacitor coupled across the coupling gap between a top ground of the first conductive layer and the separated metal plate region. 
     
     
         6 . The antenna device of  claim 2 , wherein the slot is separated into two slot sections by an interdigital capacitor. 
     
     
         7 . The antenna device of  claim 6 , wherein a first capacitance provided by the interdigital capacitor, or by a lumped capacitor located between a portion of the conductive strip and the separated metal plate region, defines at least in part a right handed (RH) resonance frequency. 
     
     
         8 . The antenna device of  claim 2 , wherein a capacitance provided by the coupling gap or a lumped capacitor coupled across the coupling gap defines at least in part a left handed (LH) resonance frequency. 
     
     
         9 . The antenna device of  claim 2 , wherein the second edge of the top ground region and the edge of the metal plate, defining the antenna slot in part, are parallel. 
     
     
         10 . The antenna device of  claim 2 , wherein the antenna slot is rectilinear in shape. 
     
     
         11 . The antenna device of  claim 2 , comprising:
 a series capacitance; and   a shunt inductor;   wherein the CRLH metamaterial structure is configured to support a lower-frequency resonance as compared to the antenna device lacking the series capacitance and the shunt inductor.   
     
     
         12 . The antenna device of  claim 11 , wherein the first conductive layer, the series capacitance, and the shunt inductor are located on a single layer of the dielectric substrate. 
     
     
         13 . The antenna device of  claim 11 , wherein the series capacitance is provided using the coupling gap. 
     
     
         14 . The antenna device of  claim 11 , wherein one or more of the series capacitance or the shunt inductor are discrete RF components. 
     
     
         15 . The antenna device of  claim 11 , wherein the CRLH metamaterial structure comprises a three-dimensional structure including the series capacitance and the shunt inductor. 
     
     
         16 . The antenna device of  claim 1 , comprising:
 a plurality of series capacitance; and   a plurality of shunt inductors;   wherein the CRLH metamaterial structure is loaded by the series capacitances and the shunt inductors to support a plurality of specified resonances.   
     
     
         17 . The antenna device of  claim 16 , wherein the first conductive layer, the plurality of series capacitances, and the plurality of shunt inductors are located on a single layer of dielectric substrate. 
     
     
         18 . An antenna device, comprising:
 a dielectric substrate having a first surface and a second surface;   a first conductive layer formed on the first surface of the dielectric substrate, the first conductive layer defining:
 a top ground region; 
 a feed conductor; 
 a matching slot stub defined by a first edge of the feed conductor; 
 a connecting slot section defined by a second edge of the feed conductor opposite the first edge and defined by a first edge of the top ground region; 
 a metal plate; 
 a coupling gap separating the top ground from the metal plate; 
 an antenna slot section defined in part by a second edge of the top ground region and defined by an edge of the metal plate; and 
 a closed end conductively coupling the metal plate to the top ground, the closed end defining an edge of the antenna slot section; 
   wherein the first conductive layer and the substrate form a composite right and left handed (CRLH) metamaterial structure located on a single layer of the dielectric substrate.   
     
     
         19 . The antenna device of  claim 18 , comprising a lumped capacitor coupled across the coupling gap between a top ground of the first conductive layer and the separated metal plate region. 
     
     
         20 . The antenna device of  claim 18 , wherein the slot is separated into two slot sections by an interdigital capacitor. 
     
     
         21 . A method, comprising:
 forming a first conductive layer on a first surface of the dielectric substrate, including:
 forming a top ground region; 
 forming a feed conductor; 
 forming a matching slot stub defined by a first edge of the feed conductor; 
 forming a connecting slot section defined by a second edge of the feed conductor opposite the first edge and defined by a first edge of the top ground region; 
 forming a metal plate; 
 forming a coupling gap separating the top ground from the metal plate; 
 forming an antenna slot section defined in part by a second edge of the top ground region and defined by an edge of the metal plate; and 
 forming a closed end conductively coupling the metal plate to the top ground, the closed end defining an edge of the antenna slot section: 
   wherein the first conductive layer and the substrate form a composite right and left handed (CRLH) metamaterial structure.